The concept of neurodiversity emerged in the 1990’s as a way for autism advocates to affirm their identity as people with neurological differences rather than as disabled individuals. The idea has spread as other advocates (including myself) have sought to articulate the ”diversity rather than disability” message to a broader segment of the population than...

The Common Core Curriculum states that ”[b]y the end of Grade 3, know from memory all products of two one-digit numbers. The question is, how many students actually know them? One adult scientist has noted: ”I’m 49 years old, have a PhD in physics, and teach math and physics for a living. When I need...

Children’s fidgeting has always been the bane of classroom teachers and parents alike. It has been regarded as one of the ”warning signs” of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as measured by so-called ”objective” rating scales used to diagnosed for ADHD, and is part of the diagnostic criteria in the psychiatrist’s bible The Diagnostic and...

Every child deserves to be seen, supported, and celebrated. Sometimes that’s not so easy. When a child faces a challenge–whether it’s Asperger’s or Autism, learning disabilities, anxiety, sensory issues, physical disability, giftedness, or simply being “out of sync”–every day can feel like an uphill climb. Join parenting author Susan Stiffelman for a free series: Raising...

Over the next month, 55+ million children and adolescents will be returning to their classrooms in public and private schools around the country. Out of this number, 6.4 million students have been diagnosed as having ADHD and most of them take psychostimulants or other drugs to control their symptoms. And while parents scurry around anxiously...